As an avid boxing fan it’s no great surprise there’s a special place in my heart for the Rocky franchise. For a series that went from Oscar-winning writing to pure shlock, I’ve loved every entry in the series (Apart from Rocky V which has been scratched from the history books). After years of the Rocky franchise at the butt of jokes and parodies, Stallone decided to bring the emotional core and a more grounded story to this much-loved character in the film Rocky Balboa. It was a swan song for the pugilist and his final onscreen fight and many of us thought this was the last time we’d see the titan jawed fighter. That was until Creed came out of the woodwork.

Creed was nothing short of a shock for Rocky fans, not only were we introduced to a character that would bring continuity to the story but that would also be mentored by an all-new repurposed Rocky. Adonis Creed, the illegitimate son of series antagonist turned protagonist Apollo Creed was the perfect character to bring into the modern era of boxing and putting Rocky in his corner was a natural transition for the series. Not only was Creed an opportunity to bring new blood to the series but it was a fantastic film in its own right possibly only surpassed by the original Rocky. This was largely due to the man in the director’s chair, Ryan Coogler who is 3 for 3 in my books.

After winning the Heavyweight championship, Adonis Creed’s celebrations are cut short when a challenge for his crown comes from a shadow of the past. Ivan Drago was disgraced after his loss to Rocky in 1985 and forced to leave Russia with just his son and the clothes on their backs. Drago’s son proves to be a monstrous contender and with the tragic history of Ivan killing Adonis’ father in the ring, Adonis accepts the challenge against the wishes of his trainer and father figure, Rocky.

The return of Ivan Drago is a bit of a double ended sword, for fans he’s a much-loved villain but he’s also from probably the most ridiculous entry in the series, Rocky IV. His reemergence isn’t unjustified though as for better or for worse Rocky IV’s events have the biggest impact on the Creed series. Thankfully Drago is treated with care and his story became my favourite aspect of the film. While he and his son remain the antagonists, their story is given tragedy and emotional weight where you can’t help but sympathize for them.

Our three leading actors, Stallone, Jordan, and Thompson are all on top form as to be expected and each character is given their own emotional beats throughout. The Creed series has put its characters foremost and each has their own trials and tribulations with their own fights outside the ring. Dolph Lungren may not be given a lot of lines but his screen presence is undeniable and he’s just as much as an opposing figure as he was 30 years ago.

There are two rules to a Rocky (now Creed) movie which are that the fights scenes must be brutal and high drama and that there must be a heart raising montage scene (or two). These are the meat and potatoes of the series and thankfully Creed II brings a heavy portion of both. While there is nothing here quite as spectacular as the one shot fight scene from Creed, this movie instead implements some of the most brutal and hard-hitting fighting scenes of any boxing movie. These are heavyweights and every punch lands with vicious and thudding impact. The fight scenes are well shot and combinations, feints, and dodges look ripped out of real boxing matches. There’s also a montage scene in the desert that is sure to see gym memberships on the rise after the credits roll.

While never reaching the heights of its predecessor, Creed II retains most of the elements that made Creed I a hit. The fight scenes are incredible but the characters remain at the forefront at all times. It’s an emotional and rewarding film despite it being a direct continuation of perhaps the most ridiculous Rocky film in the series.

The new Lion King trailer came out a couple of weeks ago and millions of people have been watching and getting excited. However, provided those people are excited about more than just James Earl Jones’ voice, they are wrong. The new Lion King does not deserve excitement, if anything it deserves an exasperated sigh and an article that goes into a bit of depth about why it is so exasperating. Lucky for you, this is said article.

Just think for a second about the next few Disney movies: Mary Poppins, Dumbo, The Lion King, Aladdin, Mulan, the list goes on. These are not original ideas. These are ideas that people in Disney had years ago, and made, and now they are simply remaking them. Sure technology has advanced hugely, but the question must be asked as to why they choose to apply the technology to stories they have already told rather than utilize it with new stories.

Technology must aid creativity, not the other way around. We do not go to the cinema to marvel at the CGI that brought the film to life. We go to the cinema to be entertained, to be transported to another world, and it is the job of technology to bring us there in a seamless, realistic way. The best use of technology lies in that which we do not see. Ultimately the story should always come first.

So, Disney has all this new technology, probably the best outside if WETA. I would imagine, all the creatives should be informed of such technology and how it can help their stories. They can then develop and enhance their ideas with what is available. Instead, it appears, they take this new technology and see what old stories they can slap it on to make more money out of. Sure the animals in the new Lion King look realistic, but when you watched the original, did you ever really question if Simba was a lion? New technology ought to be applied to enhance, it itself is not the entertainment.

Take for example David Attenborough’s Blue Planet. The first one of these was made with the best of technology at the time, and they told us the stories of our seas. Then, about 10 years later they made Blue Planet 2. This series featured the very best of the technology of today giving us crisper images, brighter colours and the ability to see things we never could before. But they didn’t just tell us the same stories they did the first time. They told us new stories in a new way.

It saddens me to think of Walt Disney and what he would think of all this. How he would feel about his company that he imagined and built out of thin air and changed the face of cinema with. A company that is now taking the lazy, cash-hungry option and has almost completely given up on enhancing or improving storytelling. Sure, every now and then a Frozen or Big Hero 6 comes along and they are really excellent films, but these should be all they produce. Disney is not about mediocre money making, it’s about creativity and wild imagination.

Disney has a history, one that no other animation company can boast. They have the facilities to train and employ the most creative people in the world and yet they are producing films that not only have been done before but that THEY have done before. To me, that’s just not what Disney stands for, and it never will be. The Lion King is a perfect summation of what they have become and the public reaction is a testament to how they got there.

The first Fantastic Beasts did well to establish itself as a spin-off in the Wizarding World giving us a whole new time period, setting and all new set of characters. In this sense, it stood apart from the Potter series but gave us an all new insight into this world. It also found a fine line between the more whimsical moments of the early Potter films and the darker tone of the later films. It was well received and felt fresh for a lot of fans of Rowling’s work, but the announcement that it would span into a five-film series was met with apprehension. How much material did this series have before it felt stretched thin? How soon would it drop its magical beast wrangling concept? In short, it took only one sequel.

While being transported to Europe to pay for his crimes, Grindelwald engineers a dastardly escape from the hands of MACUSA. Three months later Newt Scamander is seeking to appeal for the restoration of a travel pass which was revoked after the events of the first film. The Ministry of Magic offers him the pass in exchange for working for them and investigating the sudden reappearance of Creedence Barebone in Paris. Newt refuses, preferring not to pick a side but is also secretly asked to investigate privately by his old teacher, Albus Dumbledore. After a surprise visit by his old friends Jacob and Queenie, circumstances find Newt traveling with Jacob to Paris where everyone is on a mission to find Creedence.

Considering the film is written by the author of the series, J.K. Rowling, it’s pretty disappointing just how manic and jumbled the writing is throughout. There are so many threads in the story but each so thin that when it tries to come together it’s too easy to unravel. While Rowling did a commendable job of the first film’s script her inexperience in actual script writing really shows. Perhaps it was ego, perhaps it was studios desperation to throw her name all over the film but there’s a marked change in this sequel that seems less interested in telling its own story but instead trying to tie it to the Potter series. It’s disappointing to see the series already move away from a spin-off story to a direct prequel full of fan pandering and nonsensical easter eggs.

Crimes of Grindelwald has a lot of moving parts and in turn a lot of new faces as well as the return of familiar ones. While it’s great seeing the original cast back in action there’s very little time spent developing or giving them anything of note to do, their part in the story feels forced and many could be removed with very little impact. Jude Law brings some gravity to the universally loved Dumbledore but he is grounded for most the movie (although this is explained). For all the controversy and fist wrangling across social media aimed at Johnny Depp’s casting, he ends up being one of the best aspects of the film. His Grindelwald is menacing but elegant, sharp but with a smooth tongue and most importantly feels very different from Voldemort.

It’s hard to call Crimes of Grindelwald a complete car crash as it’s well acted and composed of plenty of solid sequences when viewed in their own right. The CGI and depiction of magic and monsters are as creative as ever. Unfortunately Rowling’s hubris gets the better of her as she sets out to undo the original Fantastic Beasts in a vain attempt to connect this already bloated series to her universally loved books.

It’s no secret that my taste in film has always leaned more towards the genre films. Schlock is a powerful drug to me when done right especially when recreating those 80’s B movies. When Overlord was first announced it certainly caught my attention. It was being billed as the fourth Cloverfield film just before Cloverfield Paradox was released. Unfortunately, Cloverfield Paradox was released and any excitement for the series faded. However, in a confusing turn of events, producer J.J. Abrams announced it would not be tied to the Cloverfield series and was instead its own beast.

Set during the Eve of D Day a group of paratroopers are tasked with going behind enemy lines and destroying a radio tower in a French Village. The transport plane is shot down and only a few survivors are able to regroup. Still adamant to complete their mission they make their way towards the village where a series of odd occurrences unsettles the men. They are hidden away by a local French girl out of the sights of a ruthless Nazi commander. They soon learn the location of their target in an old church but what lies beneath is true horror.

Overlord is one of the most pleasant surprises of the year. It’s pure B movie carnage set in the vein of Wolfenstein or Call of Duty’s Nazi Zombies. What sets it apart from the countless other zombie films is the film’s commitment to playing it straight, this is as much a war film as it is a horror film and the transition between the two genres is handled perfectly. The film opens with perhaps the most exciting and visceral opening scene of the year as soldiers are shredded and burned alive in the plane attack igniting feelings of claustrophobia and nausea as our leading man falls from the plane to a lake in a breathtaking one-shot scene.

While I’m not too familiar with the cast outside of Wyatt Russell and Pilou Asbæk, they are solid and play off one another well despite some early concerns that they were our typical ragtag soldier stereotypes. Leading man Jovan Adepo breaks the mold as a leading man with a sense of morals despite the horrors of war around him (typically these characters don’t last long). Wyatt Russell steals the show by channeling his father’s grit and menace into an antihero of sorts unafraid to get his hand dirty to get the job done but also able to comfort his men.

The real horror elements of the film don’t come until about the middle act but it’s worth the wait as it’s a perfect blend of body horror and gore. There are some genuinely shocking imagery and moments of almost unbearable chaos. Its visceral nature is helped by characters we care for and some strong emotional connection between them. The exact nature of the Nazi’s plans are never thoroughly explained but the idea that they are no good is enough to suspend belief.

With plenty of blood and twisted limbs to keep horror fans happy, Overlord is yet another excellent horror film in a year where the genre is thriving. It packs a punch and is sure to have you wincing as bodies contort and Nazi’s are blown away. Whoever decided to cut this film’s ties to the Cloverfield universe deserves a raise.

It’s been almost four months since our last Beer Goggles and I would like to pretend it was a sober four months which accounts for the lack of a recent Beer Goggles but in reality, I’ve largely ignored my duty to watch unknown crap movies. Thankfully, over the Halloween period while searching through 80’s classics I stumbled across plenty of low budget sleazy thrashy movies. The shoddier the thumbnail the better. Despite finding a goldmine of thrash, a champion arose above the rest, Arena.

Arena is what happens when half the cast of Deep Space 9 and Babylon 5 are available for a Rocky knockoff set in Space. Except while Rocky is an Oscar-winning film that spanned an entire beloved franchise Arena wouldn’t even pass for a Star Trek episode. At least it doesn’t try to capitalize on the Star Wars rip-off fad of the 80’s where most science fiction films were a little too happy to borrow elements from the films.

Somewhere in Space on a large space station is a huge space arena. Competitors from all over the universe come to fight one another in hopes of becoming champion. The majority of warriors are of various alien species, Steve Armstrong (Paul Satterfield) is a rarity. Steve is the first human to compete in the arena in 50 years. Steve is reluctant at first just trying to fight to get off the station but soon finds himself fighting for the poorer inhabitants of the station. Steve has a shot at the intergalactic championship, but a shady gangster and his sniveling henchman are eager to make a buck of him before setting him up to fail.

Arena is the first film that had me hit the pause button as I knew I wasn’t inebriated enough to truly appreciate its content (I was bored and wanted to find something else). After a decent pick and mix from the drinks cabinet, I was sauteed to the point where a Rocky film in space definitely deserved a second chance and jumped in head first. Suddenly it made sense to me. Why wouldn’t we get the hardest cunts in the Galaxy to knock the shit out of each other for universal glory? The sport itself seemed honorable with both fighters being handicapped to each others strength level and the rules being to try to knock your opponent out or push them out of the ring, kind of like Britain’s Hardest sans Phil Mitchell.

Our protagonist Steve has the advantage of looking like Ivan Drago’s laid-back surfer brother but blessed with the fists to batter any creature in the universe. The chap is so hard he becomes the first human in 50 years to be even able to compete in the Arena. But while he at first fights for himself and to pay off the shady silver painted/Alien gangster, Silver Face, he soon wins the hearts of the downtrodden who happen to be humans (Nice to see a space adventure where we aren’t the assholes). With help of his really fit trainer Quinn (who doesn’t become the romantic interest but is actually written as a character), Steve punches his way through enough rubber looking Aliens to get a shot at the champ.

While I nearly turned it off I’m glad I gave Arena a second chance. It’s poorly acted, silly and the sets are particularly cheap looking but it has charm in spades. Despite the cheap looking sets I was really impressed with the costumes with some great variety between the aliens both big and small. The more I drank the more I enjoyed this lighthearted romp. In the end, some drinks were had, some Aliens were slapped, and my integrity as a critic sank even lower.

This is one of the movies I’ve been waiting to see all year, As a massive fan of the band I was interested to see how the journey would translate to the big screen however it’s never a great sign when you hear that a film is suffering from production problems and Bohemian Rhapsody’s biographic topic is one you really don’t want to be suffering from production problems. Queen and Freddie Mercury hold the highest caliber of importance in the history of music, it is really hard to find anyone who cannot know a Queen song off by heart. Because of their popularity, this film has to answer to a lot of people and the power and uniqueness of Queen come flooding out, answering what makes Queen unforgettable, yet it never dares to go that one step further into the insider look at Mercury’s life.

Bohemian Rhapsody has a lot of material to use but for this film to be anywhere near entertaining, the film has to get the spirit of Queen and thanks to the flamboyant performance of Rami Malek as Freddie, the spirit is top notch. Malek has really mastered the way Mercury moved on stage with so much passion and emotion that matches Mercury’s four-octave vocal range. Even in the more serious scenes, Malek does brilliantly in capturing Freddie Mercury the victim. It gets very disheartening when you see an icon weighed down by the people who don’t truly care for the man taking advantage of him. Freddie Mercury mentions at the beginning that he aspires to be the person he wants to be, which paints a great picture of the distance he is from that aspiration in his highs and lows.

The film’s musical performances are all lip synced which is going to become more noticeable amongst those who have seen the live performances of A Star Is Born. But for a film like Bohemian Rhapsody, I didn’t care because what was important was that the film translated the power of those songs to make your core tingle. I wanted to clap along to Radio Ga Ga, I wanted to join in on Freddie’s vocal improvisation, it was a film that made me wish for more audience participation in the cinema as odd as it may sound.

It’s ironic that a band like Queen and who as the film put “need to get more experimental” never gets too experimental with the biopic formula. Another way to capture the nature of Queen and to truly understand them is to have a narrative that follows the methods of the band. However, the film is so formulaic that you could mistake it for a paint by numbers music-biopic, following in the footsteps of This Is Spinal Tap or Straight Outta Compton. This is done for the sake of entertainment rather than a layered, in-depth look at the band and Mercury.

Also, the formation of Queen and their rise to fame is rushed with a lot of events skipped over for timekeeping. I feel sorry for the people who took an early toilet break, one moment the band is forming together, the next they’ve changed their name to Queen, the next they’ve recorded an album, the next they’re touring the US. It barely scratched the surface of Mercury at the beginning, with little idea what his relationship with his individual family members was like. It skips the full idea of where his love of music came from, it’s like the film has holes that it is depending on your knowledge of Mercury to fill, creating the illusion of a fulfilling character introduction, which is made even more difficult if you willing to change and skip over events – You can’t do both in a biopic.

Bohemian Rhapsody made me think that maybe Queen is too big for a simple biopic. I would rather have sat through a three-hour epic biopic (or bio-epic) than a standard 2hr+ film because I still left the cinema feeling like I had come away not knowing more about the band and the man that has been so important to the music industry. For some, the music and performances will be enough to satisfy, and I get that, I only wish that more facts could have been worked into the writing. Nevertheless, this film may have bitten the dust, but Freddie Mercury and Queen will still rule as champions.

“This is a difficult review as you need to take all personal knowledge and love from Queen and Freddie Mercury away before watching this movie. Unfortunately, this isn’t a true biopic and a lot of the true events of Mercury’s life have been changed, skipped over or not even included. Most of Freddie private life is rushed & danced-over with the band highlighting themselves rather than mercury. As Sacha Baron Cohen said, “Queen, don’t have the balls to make a true Freddie film”. Spoilers he doesn’t die after Live Aid 1984, in-fact he went on to tour and then passed in late 1991. As a fan I would have loved a true Freddie film showing a lot more behind the scenes and crazy stories, however as private as he was with that side – I don’t think we’ll ever get to see that.”

A Star Is Born is a film which has already been remade twice. With this adaptation, we get to see the supposed breakout performance of Lady Gaga alongside the equally talented Bradley Cooper. It’s great to see a film that was in development hell for a very long time, become the film that it is today. With Cooper’s direction, you can clearly see the sincerity of wanting to make something special. That sincerity carries on in the writing as we are treated to a story that is seamless and sticks to the whole point of the narrative. I was completely convinced that what I was watching one character’s rise and one character’s fall, having these two journeys and conjoining them in the story felt so effortless and so precise you could plot it on a graph where both characters are at.

The main talking of the film is Lady Gaga performance and well, the title says it all. As Ally, an unknown singer-songwriter, she gives a more dramatic performance than anyone could expect which is assisted by the natural chemistry she has with her co-star Bradley Cooper, especially during scenes when they’re singing together. Their characters romance is touching and natural making they’re coming together all the stronger, these two were made for each other.

The finer details in this film from the foreshadowing to the welcoming colorfulness of scenes are glorious to behold, but not as glorious as how the film times and uses its singing sequenced. We are watching one character’s rise and one character’s fall and the amount of time the two characters are thrown into a singing number reflects where the characters are at in terms of career trajectory. The film opens with a few original numbers from Jackson Maine, but when he discovers the talent of Ally, she steps into the spotlight so often we never hear Jackson sing until the film’s conclusion. Having the time, the characters spend on singing is masterful narrative construction, it’s a subtle reminder for how high or low the characters are feeling.

The music itself is very well written and scored that sends us through many waves of emotion. Many critics are telling you that A Star Is Born is going to receive many Oscar nods. Although we critics don’t have a crystal ball, I would be very surprised if this film didn’t at least get a best original soundtrack nominee because frankly it more than deserves it with the number of songs written and performed by Gaga herself. What’s more is that there is no ADR or re-recording at play here, everything is done live and in the moment of the scene which is commendable, to say the least. Not many films have the courage to capture live singing but having that kind of realism in the scene draws our attention to it, helping us to be moved by the music even more.

The only seemingly small nit-pick I have with A Star Is Born is that the dialogue, at times, can become a little too conversational. You’ll often have to go with the scene to reach that big emotional acting from either Gaga or Cooper, which can be irritating for audiences who like quick, snappy scenes that get straight to the point. This isn’t to say that the tone and pacing aren’t affected by the dialogue, they managed to keep things steady.

The one thing that propels this film above all others like it is how much confidence is shown in the filmmaking. The confidence in its talent, the confidence to do live performances, the confidence in the story. It’s these things that have turned this film into what it is, and the confidence never stops growing with every scene. Clearly, by the reactions of everyone on the internet, people have noticed this. If there wasn’t a big word of mouth spread about this film, I doubt that A Star Is Born would be receiving the same attention, but I’m beyond glad that it did.

Back in 2010, I was enamored by this strange flick I stumbled upon called ‘Beyond the Black Rainbow’. It was like nothing I had ever seen, bursting with colour and vibrancy and the hypnotic beat of an ethereal synth soundtrack by the fantastic Sinoia Caves. It was my introduction to Panos Cosmatos, an Italian director who truly deserved the title of visionary. Despite my undying praise, ‘Beyond the Black Rainbow’ proved to be divisive among critics with many seeing it as style over substance or an indulgent piece of pulp cinema. Due to the films alienating nature and obscurity, it took Panos almost 10 years to find the funding and resources to fund his next film.

In case you have been living under a rock, ‘Mandy’ is one of the most talked about films this year. Early reception for the film was full of praise but critics stumbled to put together coherent sentences to describe what they had just seen. Words like insane, ludicrous, batshit crazy were featured strongly but most interesting was the universal appreciation for Nicolas Cage’s performance after years of being the laughing stock among critical circles. Then the trailer dropped and the incoherence we had all heard so much about began to take form. The trailer was manic, visceral, hilarious and dripping in that aesthetic I so fondly remembered from ‘Beyond the Black Rainbow’. Suddenly ‘Mandy’ topped my must-see list for 2018.

It’s 1983 and Red Miller lives a reclusive but loving life with his artist girlfriend, Mandy, in The Shadow Mountains. Their lives together is peaceful and romantic as both appear to have suffered in their past lives. Their paradise is suddenly and violently interrupted by the introduction of sadistic cult leader Jerimiah Sand who takes a liking to Mandy. Red is left on the brink of death but perseveres through sheer bloodlust and a thirst for revenge as he seeks to even the score with the cult leader and his followers.

Before I get into the blood and carnage or Nic Cage’s ballistic performance I have to sing the praises of the films technical aspects. Cosmatos turns a pulpy exploitation film into a canvass rich in colours, trippy visuals and heavy metal inspired animations. The sheer variety in lighting and camerawork makes ‘Mandy’ the most visually impressive film I’ve seen in a long time. It looks like the cover of an 80’s metal band. There’s a mind-boggling shot where two characters faces slowly morph into each other that left me rubbing my eyes in disbelief.

While the soundtrack is superb and one of the best of the year it’s also bittersweet. The composer behind the score was the renowned Jóhan Jóhansson who tragically passed away earlier this year. The Icelandic composer leaves behind an impressive body of work especially for the films he collaborated with director Denis Villeneuve. The score utilizes a sort of synth prog rock sound which elevates the intensity to match the madness on screen but also simpers for the more emotional and tragic moments.

If you’ve heard about ‘Mandy’ then you’ve heard about Cage. What can I really say that hasn’t been said already, yes it’s his best performance in years, yes it’s his most chaotic performance to date, and yes I hope it lands him more roles in the future because he’s squandered on these direct to DVD movies. Honestly, it’s an explosive performance that he throws himself into with high intensity but also emotional vulnerability. I truly hope awards season doesn’t forget about him.

‘Mandy’ is a whirlwind of chaos, beauty, and violence that only Panos Cosmatos could string together. It’s a technical marvel in many ways making full use of light and sound with an ensemble cast giving it their every fiber. The film will have you tackling whether to fist bump the air or writhe in horror, there were moments when I didn’t know if I should’ve burst into laughter or tears. The final shot of the film is the most cathartic scene of the year and has been burned into my memory since the credits rolled.

Well, the haunting season has come to an end and spookfest 2018 is upon us. Halloween has always been an exciting holiday for us here at Reel Time allowing us to revisit our favourite horror films and catch up on the better ones we missed this year. It’s also a chance to flex my patriotic side and reveal that Halloween is actually an Irish holiday from the ancient Celts who called it Samhain (don’t say you don’t learn anything here). But pointless trivia aside we thought we would end the holiday with a summary of our top 5 Halloween movies.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

I’ll make you a bet!! I bet you that if you go to your family members right now and ask them what their favourite Halloween film is, it’ll be Hocus Pocus. If not then I will give you nothing in return because I’m trying to prove a point and shouldn’t have to offer you anything of value. You leeches!!

In all seriousness Hocus Pocus is a film synonymous with Halloween. While it received a cold reception from critics on release, Hocus Pocus struck a nerve with audiences and is still held in high regard today.

Night Of the Demons (1988)

Night of the demons is what you get if you cross Evil Dead with Lamberto Bava’s Demons franchise and still somehow make it sleazier than both combined. Ok, Night of the Demons isn’t quite on the level of those two franchises but it’s one of the best Halloween films out there and a real guilty pleasure. It’s got buckets of smut, blood, and profanity with some great makeup effects not too dissimilar to The Evil Dead’s, Deadites. If you have the stomach for extreme gore and typical 80’s sleaze, then Night of the Demons is well worth a look.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Interesting fact I learned recently: this film was only written by Tim Burton who I thought directed it. It was actually directed by Henry Selick (more interesting facts). The Nightmare Before Christmas was an introduction for many of us to the wonders of stop motion, a craft that has been revived by the wonderful Laika studios. It’s a fascinating film tackling both seasons of Halloween and Christmas with real heart and a spooky vibe. Ask anyone who’s the king of Halloweentown and watch peoples face lighten up as they shout Jack Skellington.

Trick R Treat (2007)

While loved among horror circles and managing to make most lists of best horror films of the last 20 years, sadly Trick R Treat is severely underseen. It remains one of the top five anthology films ever made and stands far taller than most films set during the witching season. Each story is filled with dread, gore and pitch black humour. It’s no wonder Michael Dougherty has been handed the keys to the upcoming Godzilla: King of the Monsters

Halloween (1979)

To the absolute surprise of no one, the Carpenter classic makes the top spot of our list by a country mile. Hearing the theme song alone fills us with nostalgia. Made on a shoestring budget, Halloween is a masterpiece in suspense and ambiance. Michael Myers filled our dreams with terror as the unstoppable killing machine who’s not afraid to hide in plain sight. If Halloween isn’t on your yearly rewatch list then you can hand back your horror fan badge.

It’s been two days and I still can’t quite wrap my head around just how we managed to win the Best Film/TV Blog at this years Irish Blog Awards. The only real answer I can come up with is the hard work and dedication of every single one of the writers here. Three years ago Adam and I decided it was time to stop boring our friends with non-stop discussion about everything film and to instead channel our passion into a more tangible outlet. It was exciting and a little nerve-wracking to put our views to paper and put them out there ripe for praise, indifference or a lambasting.

Over the course of that three years, we’ve seen a huge improvement in the quality of our writing and expanded the blog into various other discussion categories such as the alcohol driven cesspit which is Beer Goggles to a more collaborative effort with upcoming filmmakers and their projects in the form of Spotlight. We’ve expanded our team of two to four bringing on Shaun and Tiffany who have greatly improved the quality and diversity of our content.

Reel Times Flicks focus has never been to win awards or accolades but to allow each member a creative outlet to speak about our love for films. It has been this passion that has kept us consistently writing and improving. This award we have won is a literal representation of hard work paying off and has brought us a huge sense of achievement. I would encourage everyone to keep writing, to maintain that focus, and most of all make sure you enjoy it because it will payoff.